Solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of international mobility are an important topic of debate for European institutions. The changes introduced to the Erasmus+ program in recent years, such as the bonus grant for green travel, are evidence of a new approach supported by updated policies and tools.
Arqus is not indifferent to these challenges, nor is the Erasmus generation and the many students and trainees who are calling not only for new opportunities, but also for a better planet.
As an Alliance that places climate change and sustainable development among its thematic priorities, we are committed to developing initiatives that raise climate awareness within our communities.
More specifically, in 2024 Arqus launched the Green Mobility Days, a comprehensive program of local initiatives involving our univer-cities in promoting a greener approach to study or work exchanges.
GMD are organized every year and take a broad perspective on international mobility. Reducing your impact on the ecosystem is not only about choosing sustainable transport to reach your host institution, but also about reflecting on daily habits and exploring eco-friendly solutions in your new environment.
You can visit our news webpage to check if GMDs are now running at the Arqus university where you are studying, and join the activities to discover new ways to make your stay more sustainable—while having fun and exploring the city.
You can also apply to the Tell Your Mobility Story: a video testimonial competition aimed at promoting a green and sustainable culture within the Alliance. Reach out to your international relations office for more information!
If you still don’t know where to start from and need some inspiration instead, you can read the article by Leipzig Arqus project officer Ninon Böhme, check out the Sustainable travel guide powered by ESN Padova, visit our sustainability map (in progress and waiting for your suggestions ;D) or check out some of the tips from our partners:
Lyon:
Bike sharing: https://velov.grandlyon.com/en/home
The university can lend you a bike (limited number): https://etu.univ-lyon1.fr/actualites/pret-de-velos
Public transport: https://www.tcl.fr/en
Second hand shops/websites: https://www.esnlyon.org/page/2333876-bourse-aux-objets
Granada:
ESN Granada organizes a lot of activities focused on the environment in Granada. Students are advised to follow them on social media.
Asociación La Huella Verde: they organize a lot of activities in Granada and its province (tree planting, second-hand fashion shows, environmental clean-ups, etc.). You can follow them on social media, where they publish all the activities they organize.
Some Faculties/Schools in Granada have a bike lending service. The number of bikes is limited and their allocation is done at the beginning of each academic year through a dedicated call. We invite you to look for this information on the website of your faculty or school, where the call will be published!
Contact details of the office in charge of promoting sustainability at UGR:
Email: uca@ugr.es
Phone number: (34) 958 24 83 85
Here you can find a complete list of all services that international students might find useful throughout their stay in Granada:
Graz:
General: This website features a calendar of sustainable events around the city (Repair cafes, Clothe swaps, presentations, walks etc.) (German only) Termine – Nachhaltig in Graz (nachhaltig-in-graz.at)
Public transportation: Mobility – Holding Graz (holding-graz.at)
Car sharing (German only): TIM – Carsharing in Graz, Leihwagen, E-Taxi günstig und umweltfreundlich. (tim-oesterreich.at)
Biking:
There are several stations around the city that offer service tools for minor repairs while you’re on the go. They are located in public/semi-public locations and some tools are available 24/7. List with locations (German only): Rad-Serviceboxen in Graz (nachhaltig-in-graz.at)
A bike map can be found here (mostly German): Radkarte Graz_2023_screen.pdf
Bike route-planner (German only): Bike Citizens – Fahrrad-Routenplaner
Cargo-bike rental platform (German only): Radverteiler
Leipzig:
Arqus Green Mobility at Leipzig University:
- Arqus Green Mobility Kit for students and staff (soon uploaded here)
- Green Mobility Kit english version for the alliance (still in progress)
Furthermore at Leipzig University:
- The Green Office (GO) is the student-run sustainability office at Leipzig University. It serves as the central point of contact and coordination for environmental sustainability. We are the point of contact for students’ concerns, ideas, questions and suggestions, and we connect them with the relevant parties.
- Students at Leipzig University who wish to spend a semester abroad can apply for the ‘Green Travel’ special grant under the Erasmus+ programme at the International Centre: Erasmus+ Green travel top-up.
- The international, interdisciplinary and research-oriented study Master programme Sustainable Development focusses on issues related to sustainability, the environment and development as well as the challenges in transitioning to a sustainable society.
City of Leipzig
Maynooth:
Maynooth Green Campus, “MGC” (Green Campus | Maynooth University):
The Maynooth Green Campus Committee provides advice and guidance on the following aspects/goals of MU:
- Biodiversity
- Climate Justice
- Energy Management
- Sustainable Travel and Transport
- Waste Management
- Water Conservation
- Sustainable Food & Agriculture
- Health & Wellbeing (looking at the links between climate change, ecology, sustainability and the impact on health and wellbeing)
Orientation Week:
During our Orientation Weeks in September and January, the MGC organizes a Re-Use Pop-Up Shop where students can borrow or swap different items such as clothes, books, cooking utensils, etc. A Re-Use Pop-Up Centre is available at the end of the semester/academic year for students to return items that they do not want to bring home with them, but which may be useful to students coming in the next semester/academic year, for example, pots, pans, clothes, towels, bedclothes, etc. All items must be clean and dry. Any surplus items are donated to local charities.
There is also a Biodiversity Walk that takes place during Orientation. These walks focus on the flora and fauna on MU’s campus.
Water Fountains on campus:
There are a number of water fountains available all around the campus. Some are specifically drinking fountains, but students can fill their reusable water bottles from many filling stations as well. A map of all water fountain locations: https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/sites/default/files/assets/document//Drinking%20Water%20Fountains%20Updated%20January_2023.pdf
WEEE Ireland Battery Boxes:
Little blue boxes that are available all over campus for students to return old batteries for recycling. Vapes/e-cigarettes can now also be put in these boxes.
Note: WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment.
Public Transport and the Leap Card:
Maynooth is very well serviced by bus and train routes. Students can apply online for either a Student Leap Card or a Young Adult Leap Card to avail of discounted fares on Transport for Ireland (TFI) services. Which card students should apply for will depend on what age they are. More information can be found at the links below:
Travelling by bus to Maynooth University
Travelling by train: Ireland rail travel information – Iarnród Éireann – Irish Rail
Maynooth University General Transport Guide
Leap Card for Public Transport Discounted Fares
Re-turn Deposit Scheme:
As of February 2024, people in Ireland must pay a deposit on each can and plastic bottle they purchase. Cans and plastic bottles can be returned to supermarkets to get the deposit back. Re-turn Machines are generally located at the front of each supermarket.
Second-hand Shops/Charity Shops:
There are a number of second hand charity shops in Maynooth and nearby towns, such as Society of St. Vincent de Paul and NCBI (National Charity for the Blind Ireland). Students can look after the environment and make a small donation to people in need at the same time!
Minho:
Bus transport between campuses/cities: https://www.aaum.pt/academia/transportes/
City of Braga:
– Information about Mobility: https://www.cm-braga.pt/en/0101/conhecer/acessibilidades-e-mobilidades/mobilidades/apresentacao
– Braga’s Bus Service: www.tub.pt
– Bike rental: https://gobybike.pt/rental-aluguer/
– Associations and community initiatives towards sustainable city mobility: https://bragaciclavel.pt/ and https://www.juntasvictor.pt/informacoes/10-pedal-banco-doacao-bicicletas/0
City of Guimarães
– Information about Mobility: https://www.cm-guimaraes.pt/areas-de-intervencao/mobilidade-e-transportes
– Guimarães’ Bus Service: https://guimabus.pt/
– Bike rental: https://www.getgreen.pt/category/servicos-a
– Smooth Mobility: https://www.cm-guimaraes.pt/conhecer/mobilidade/modos-suaves
Shuttle from the Airport to the cities of Braga and Guimarães: http://www.getbus.eu or https://www.flixbus.pt/
Padova
Padova is one of the about 100 European cities participating in the Net Zero Cities programme, strongly committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2030.
Its university is a strong partner of the city council in policy-making on sustainability and the two institutions cooperated in the definition of the Action Plan for Sustainable Energy and Climate.
The University of Padova itself promotes sustainability as a pillar supporting all its activities and the UniPadova Sostenibile initiative is the reference framework for the academic community in this field.
Here follow some useful links for the everyday’s life of students staying in Padova and looking for some “green tips”:
- Information on sustainable local mobility
- More information on how to get around in Padua
Vilnius:
Vilnius offers the ideal setup for eco-friendly transportation. With its cutting-edge, seamless public transport system, Vilnius ensures that every trip is both convenient and green, smoothly connecting all parts of the city.
Public Transportation
Vilnius features an extensive eco-friendly public transport network with electric buses and trolleybuses that efficiently connect the city while minimizing the carbon footprint. The m.Ticket app assists in planning public transport journeys in Vilnius by providing real-time updates and route options. It ensures the quickest journey to your destination and allows you to seamlessly purchase, collect, and use tickets on the phone.
Learn more about public transportation
Bike Sharing
An extensive bike-sharing network and strategically placed stations across the city make it simple and affordable to grab a bike and travel through Vilnius. Both short-term and long-term services are available.
Explore bike-sharing options Vilnius bike map
Electric Scooters
There is no need to buy your own scooter. Bolt offers the opportunity to share this vehicle via a mobile app.
Find out more about Bolt scooters
Eco-friendly Vilnius – Deposit Refund Scheme
Lithuania has introduced a deposit refund scheme for plastic or glass bottles and cans. The scheme works like this: when purchasing beverage packaging with a special symbol, a € 0.10 deposit fee is charged. After using the bottles or cans, you can return them by putting them into special machines installed in supermarkets.
Learn how to return bottles and cans
Eco-friendly Vilnius – Refilling Your Water Bottle
Vilnius Old Town is dotted with drinking water fountains, some of which are even suited for pets. Search “drinking water stop” or “drinking water fountain” on Google Maps to find them.
Wroclaw:
Public transportation:
Wroclaw has an extensive public transport system that includes trams, buses, and a regional railroad network that allow everyone to get to every corner of the city. Trams and buses are especially popular modes of transport for students as they provide a 50% discount to everyone who can show their UrbanCard and the student ID. The UrbanCard is Wroclaw’s card system designed to help public transportation – it allows users to buy long-term tickets for up to 5 months. It is very easy to apply for one and is a massive help to all visiting students. https://www.urbancard.pl/
City Bike rental:
Wroclaw has its own bike rental system. Wroclawski Rower Miejski (Wroclaw City Bike) has stations all over the city which allows the user to quickly transport and set it aside at the next desired station. To use it for the first time an initial fee of 10 zł is required. After that the first hour costs 3 zł and every next hour 6 zł, but the trip will be free if it is less than 20 minutes! For more information visit: https://wroclawskirower.pl/en/
Electric scooters rental:
There are also available Bolt electric scooters in the city and they became quite popular in recent years. To use them a Bolt app is required.
Second hand shopping:
Second hand fashion is extremely popular in Wroclaw and plenty of second hand shops are available. Aside from those on the streets an app Vinted is available and makes shopping much cheaper and quicker. Its users can offer not only hand-me-down clothes and shoes but books, games and house accessories as well.